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JSS1: ENGLISH LANGUAGE - 1ST TERM

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  1. JSS1: English Language 1st Term | Week 1
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Topic Content:

  • Meaning of Argumentative Essay
  • Meaning of Expository Composition
  • Elements of Writing
  • Features of an Argumentative Composition
  • Format of an Argumentative Composition
  • Conclusion
  • JSCE Exam Past Essay Question & Answer

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a form of composition in which you attempt to persuade or convince the reader or the listener to agree with your point of view on a controversial subject matter with reasonable facts.

Examples of argumentative topics are:

  • The Girl Child Should be Educated.
  • Children in Rural Areas are More Helpful than Children in Urban Areas
  • Education Should be Free at all Levels

What is an Expository Composition?

Exposition is a clear and detailed explanation of a given topic. The aim of an expository composition is to explain a process, to inform, to instruct, or to bring someone else to see one’s point of view. An expository essay contains a great deal of description.

Elements of Writing:

An expository composition exposes or explains a simple process or series of events clearly in logical order.

Structure of an Expository Composition:

  • The title
  • Attractive introduction
  • Body/Content (Divided into paragraphs)
  • Conclusion

Features of an Argumentative Composition:

  1. Appropriate introduction
  2. Definition of proposition
  3. Proof/Disproof of the proposition
  4. Concluding the argument

Format of an Argumentative Composition:

Good Afternoon Mr. Chairman, Panel of Judges, Accurate Time Keeper, Co-debaters, Ladies and Gentlemen. After the usual vocatives/greetings, the debater should briefly introduce him/herself. My name is Ojo Chukwuma, I am from Udele High school and I am here to oppose the motion which states that farmers are better than doctors.

Conclusion:

In the concluding paragraph, you summarize all the points that have been made earlier and restate your stand.

2020 JSCE Past Essay Question:

You have been selected to represent your class in an inter-class debate on the topic: “The Internet is a Better Source of Information that Textbooks.” Write your argument for or against the motion.

Hint:

(i) Introduction: The Vocatives
(ii) State and discuss at least three points for or against the motion.
(iii) Conclusion

View Essay

Evaluation:

  1. Write an appropriate feature of an argumentative composition
  2. Write the structure of an expository composition

Reference: The Silent Teacher Page 402 by Segun Olatoye.

Assignment:

As the chief speaker in a debate organized by your school, write for or against the motion.“Girls are more intelligent than boys”.

2020 JSCE/BECE English Studies Essay Past Question 1

(585 words)

Debate: “The Internet is a Better Source of Information than Textbooks.”

Good afternoon Mr Chairman, Moderator, impartial Panel of Judges, accurate timekeeper, co-debaters and my fellow students. I am Fola Aderin, I am a JS3 student at the International School, Ibadan and I would like to support the motion which states, “The internet is a better source of Information than textbooks”.

I would like to begin by defining both the Internet and Textbooks. The Internet is a worldwide system of Computer Networks, it is a network of networks in which users at any one computer (if they have permission) can get information from any other computer while a Textbook is a book that teaches a particular subject and is used especially in schools and colleges. I support the statement that the Internet is better than Textbooks because if I need to do research on a particular topic – with the Internet, I can get information from multiple sources in a short amount of time and checking these multiple sources on the Internet will cost me less than if I had to check the information using multiple textbooks. With Textbooks, I would have to buy each one which would cost a lot of money or sign-up to be a member of a Library which would take time.

Also, with a textbook you have to rely on the information given by the writer which might be hard to verify, whereas with the Internet it is easy to verify and crosscheck all the information provided simply by typing a few keywords in the search tab and the information I seek will be readily available. Information on the Internet is usually visibly more attractive to a student than a Textbook – information on the Internet is usually supported with Images that are presented in a modern manner, whereas Textbooks usually contain long writeups with very little Imagery.

The continuous use and production of textbooks can also be harmful to the environment. This is because textbooks are made of paper. Paper is processed from wood pulp which is gotten from the destruction of trees. The Conservation of Trees and Forests is a Global concern right now. We need to help save our Forests globally, using less paper will directly affect the felling of trees. If we as a society use less paper, it will reduce the need for the destruction of trees and forests. Textbooks are also wasteful – they are usually not transferred from one student to another. This is because the quality of textbooks always decreases with time – students write in their textbooks, and with general wear and tear, text and images become faint over time. Even in a family, it is unlikely that if an older sibling has used a textbook his younger siblings will use that same Textbook when they get to the same class. The textbook will usually be discarded and a new one will be bought for the younger siblings when the time comes to use that same Textbook as long as the family can afford it, this is quite wasteful. With the Internet, the information will be easily transferrable, all the older sibling will have to do is tell his/her younger siblings the site they got the information from, there is no waste here.

I hope you have found my debate both entertaining and informative and with the points I have made I have been able to convince you and not confuse you that the Internet is a better source of Information than Textbooks. Thank you!